Pull-out guide

ABSTRACT

A pullout guide comprising: a stationary guide rail; a slide rail movably mounted on the stationary guide rail, the slide rail configured to be pre-tensioned by a self-retractor formed as a driver and movable along a curve guide; and the curve guide being formed by a slot in a metal sheet.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a national stage of International Application PCT/EP2011/054535, filed Mar. 24, 2011, and claims benefit of and priority to German Patent Application No. 10 2010 016 179.9, filed Mar. 29, 2010, the content of which Applications are incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY

The present disclosure relates to a pullout guide having a stationary guide rail and at least one slide rail. The at least one slide rail is mounted so it is movable on the guide rail and can be pre-tensioned in a closed position via a self-retractor. The self-retractor has a driver movable along a curve guide.

EP 2 019 607 discloses a pullout guide having a self-retractor, an activator being fixed on a slide rail, which displaces a driver along a curve guide. The driver is pre-tensioned via a spring in the closed position, so that the slide rail is also drawn into the closed position. The components of the self-retractor are arranged adjacent to the slide rail and the guide rail and protrude laterally. The problem exists in such self-retractors that they cannot be used in high temperature ranges, in particular in ovens, because of the components made of plastic.

At least one embodiment of the present disclosure provides for a pullout guide, in which a self-retractor is constructed compactly and can also be used at high temperatures.

A pullout guide according to the present disclosure includes a stationary guide rail and a slide rail movably mounted on the stationary guide rail. The slide rail is configured to be pre-tensioned by a self-retractor formed as a driver and movable along a curve guide. The curve guide is formed by a slot in a metal sheet.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the curve guide is produced by a slot or a profile in a metal sheet. The self-retractor is thus constructed, for example, compactly, because the curve guide is formed from a flat, thin element which only requires little installation space. In addition, the material selection allows for a high stability, for example, particularly at higher temperatures.

According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the curve guide is integrally formed with the guide rail or the slide rail. The necessity is thus dispensed with of fixing an additional component on the slide rail or guide rail to form the curve guide, which also simplifies the installation. The curve guide can be formed, for example, as a slot, or also as a profile, for example, in the form of ribs or embossments which guide the driver.

The self-retractor may, for example, be formed from components which include a material resistant to temperatures above 90° C. For example, components made of metal can be used. For example, the driver can be produced from metal. A spring of a self-retractor may, for example, also be produced from metal, so that the self-retractor can also be used at higher temperatures, for example, at 300° C. Use in an oven having pyrolysis function at temperatures beyond 500° C. is also within the scope of the present disclosure. The comfort of a self-retractor in pullout guides is also important.

For production of the self-retractor, the curve guide can, for example, be formed by a slot in the guard rail or the slide rail. The curve guide can, for example, have sections in the longitudinal direction of the rails, but may, for example, also have an angled section for pivoting the driver in an end region.

In a further embodiment according to the present disclosure, the driver has at least one mushroom-head-shaped pin, which can be installed on an installation opening of the curve guide. For example, two mushroom-head-shaped pins can, for example, also be formed on the driver, which allows for a pivot movement on an angled end section. The installation openings for the mushroom-head-shaped pins can, for example, be arranged spaced apart from a movement region of the driver for the function of the self-retractor. The curve guide, therefore, may, for example, have one section to install the driver and a further section to provide the function of the self-retractor. In the region of the self-retractor, the two pins of the driver may, for example, only be mounted so they are displaceable and can be moved up to an angled end section. A region for installing the driver can then adjoin this angled end section.

In another embodiment according to the present disclosure, the installation opening can be omitted. In such a case, the pins are guided by the curve guide during the installation and then the mushroom-shaped ends of the pins are produced using a tool. The tool is designed so that enough play remains to allow sliding of the driver with the aid of the mushroom-shaped pins in the curve guide.

Lubricating the curve guide, for example, using high-temperature-resistant and food-suitable lubricants, is also suitable to improve the sliding properties of the driver in the curve guide, in accordance with the present disclosure.

In a further embodiment according to the present disclosure, the driver can, for example, be coupled to an activator, which is fixed on the slide rail or the guide rail. At least one stop for the activator is formed on the driver. The at least one stop may include two or three stops. The activator can thus be fixed in a substantially formfitting manner on the driver. The activator, may, for example, have two protruding teeth which can each be pressed against one stop on the activator. In another embodiment according to the present disclosure, the activator can, for example, also have a protruding element, which engages in a substantially formfitting manner in a recess of the driver. Forced guiding of the driver by the activator can thus be caused. The projections can be formed by bent-over webs or other projections on the driver.

The activator can, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure, be formed integrally with the slide rail. Furthermore, the activator can, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure, be integrated in a plug of the pullout guide.

Thrust elements, for example, drawers or food supports, can, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure, be guided on the slide rail of the pullout guide.

:Other aspects of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following descriptions when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a pullout guide, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show two perspective exploded views of the pullout guide of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show two perspective views of a driver, in two different positions, of the pullout guide of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 shows a detail view of a curve guide of the pullout guide of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show two perspective views of the pullout guide of FIG. 1, showing different positions of the driver.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A pullout guide 1 comprises a stationary guide rail 2, which can be fixed on a furniture body or a household appliance and on which a slide rail 3 is mounted so it is movable. At least one middle rail (not shown) can, within the scope of the present disclosure, also be arranged between the guide rail 2 and the slide rail 3. An activator 4 is fixed on the slide rail 3, which can be engaged with a driver 7, which is guided along a curve guide 24. The driver 7 is pre-tensioned via a spring 19 in a closed position, in order to pre-tension the slide rail 3 in a closed position when the activator 4 is coupled in.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the guide rail 2 includes a substantially U-shaped profile. Also included are installation openings 11 for fixing on a side wall provided on one leg 12 of the U-shaped profile. A curve guide 24 having a linear section 8 in a movement direction of the slide rail 3, an angled section 9, and a linear installation section 10 including the two spaced-apart installation openings 11 is formed on a base section 13 of the guide rail 2. The guide rail 2 is bent on a second leg 14 of the guide rail 2 such that multiple running surfaces 15 for roller bodies 16 are formed. The roller bodies 16 are held on a cage 17.

The driver 7 has two protruding mushroom-head-shaped pins 18, which can be inserted into the guide rail 2 at the installation openings 11. The driver 7 can subsequently be moved along the linear section 10 to the angled section 9 to reach the linear section 8. The linear section 8 and the angled section 9 form the region which can be moved for the function of the self-retractor. In this region, the driver 7 is held captively on the guide rail 2. The driver 7 is pre-tensioned via a spring 19 toward one end of the linear section 8. The spring 19 is fixed at one end on a projection 25 on the guide rail 2. At the opposite end, the spring 19 is fixed on a hook 20 on the driver 7.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the activator 4 includes two protruding teeth 5 and 6, which can be engaged with plate-shaped stops 21, 22, and 23 on the driver 7. In FIG. 5, the position of the driver 7 is shown when it is parked on the angled end section 9 and can be unlocked by the activator 4. In the activator 4, the front tooth 5 travels in between the plate-shaped stops 21 and 22 and presses the stop 21 in the closing direction. The driver 7 is thus pivoted, the rear mushroom-head-shaped pin 18 being moved out of the angled end section 9. Through the pivoting of the driver 7, the rear plate-shaped stop 23 now lies behind the rear tooth 6 of the activator 4 (see FIG. 4). The spring 19 now draws the driver 7 together with the activator 4 toward the end of the linear section 8.

If the slide rail 3, coupled to the activator 4, is moved by a traction force in the opening direction, the driver 7 travels due to the formfitting engagement of the activator 4 in the driver 7 against the force of the spring 19 toward the angled end section 9. Here, the driver 7 pivots, whereby the stop 23 disengages from the tooth 6 and the activator 4 can now be moved together with the slide rail 3 further in the opening direction.

In FIG. 6, the curve guide 24, having the linear section 8, the angled end section 9, and the linear installation section 10, is shown in detail. The mushroom-head-shaped pins 18 engage behind the base section 13 of the guide rail 2, so that the driver 7 is only movable along the linear section 8 and the angled section 9.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show different positions of the driver 7 on the guide rail 2. In FIG. 8, the driver 7 is in a parked position, in which the rear pin 18 is latched on the angled section 9. FIG. 7 shows the closed position of the driver 7 or a component connected thereto, respectively.

In an embodiment according to the present disclosure, the curve guide 24 is integrally formed with the guide rail 2. It is within the scope of the present disclosure to form the curve guide 24 not only on the base section 13 of the guide rail 2, but rather also on one leg 12 or 14 of the guide rail 2. In addition, it is within the scope of the present disclosure to also form the curve guide 24 on the slide rail 3 instead of on the guide rail 2 and accordingly to mount the driver on the slide rail 3. In such a case, the activator 4 is fixed on the guide rail 2 or is integrally formed on the guide rail 2.

Furthermore, it is within the scope of the present disclosure not to form the curve guide 24 integrally with the slide rail 3 or the guide rail 2, but rather to shape the curve guide 24 in a metal sheet which is connected to the guide rail 2 or the slide rail 3. The curve guide 24 may be formed, in an embodiment of the present disclosure, as a slot or recess, behind which mushroom-head-shaped pins 18 engage. It is within the scope of the present disclosure to form the curve guide 24 by a profile or an embossment which is introduced into a metal sheet or the slide rail 3 or guide rail 2, respectively.

Although the present disclosure has been described and illustrated in detail, it is to be clearly understood that this is done by way of illustration and example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation. The scope of the present disclosure is to be limited only by the terms of the appended claims. 

1. A pullout guide comprising: a stationary guide rail; a slide rail movably mounted on the stationary guide rail, the slide rail configured to be pre-tensioned by a self-retractor formed as a driver and movable along a curve guide; and the curve guide being formed by a slot in a metal sheet.
 2. The pullout guide according to claim 1, wherein the curve guide is formed by the slot in the guide rail.
 3. The pullout guide according to claim 1, wherein the curve guide is integrally formed with one of the guide rail and the slide rail.
 4. The pullout guide according to claim 1, wherein the self-retractor includes components that are all formed from a material resistant to temperatures above 90° C.
 5. The pullout guide according to claim 1, wherein the driver is produced from metal.
 6. The pullout guide according to claim 1, wherein the curve guide includes a section angled to a longitudinal direction of the slide rail, the section configured for pivoting the driver.
 7. The pullout guide according to claim 1, wherein the driver includes at least one mushroom-head-shaped pin, which is configured to be installed on an installation opening of the curve guide.
 8. The pullout guide according to claim 7, wherein the at least one mushroom-head-shaped pin includes two mushroom-head-shaped pins formed on the driver.
 9. The pullout guide according to claim 7, wherein the installation opening is arranged to be spaced apart from a linear section and an angled section configured to accommodate movement of the driver for the function of the self-retractor.
 10. The pullout guide according to claim 1, wherein the self-retractor includes a spring made of a temperature-resistant material.
 11. The pullout guide according to claim 1, wherein the driver is configured to be coupled to an activator, which is fixed on one of the slide rail and the guide rail.
 12. The pullout guide according to claim 11, wherein at least one stop for the activator is formed on the driver.
 13. The pullout guide according to claim 11, wherein the activator includes two teeth configured to be engaged with the at least one stop.
 14. The pullout guide according to claim 1, wherein the curve guide is formed by a slot in the slide rail.
 15. The pullout guide according to claim 1, wherein the curve guide is formed by a slot in an installation angle of the guide rail. 